BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Three seasons ago, Blue Jackets left winger Rick Nash won a goal-scoring award
named after Maurice Richard.

On the 50th anniversary of Richard's 500th goal, Nash delivered a performance that would have
made the Rocket's piercing eyes gleam. He scored a goal, contributed an assist and dominated the
ice in leading the Blue Jackets to a 3-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres.

"In just his fifth season, Rick has taken ownership of his game and the leadership of this
team," center Michael Peca said. "Just give him the puck and get out of his way because he's going
to get to the front of the net."

The Blue Jackets' first road win of the season was a team effort, for sure. Goaltender Pascal
Leclaire posted his third shutout in four starts and Peca, a former Sabre, played his best game
with a goal and an assist.

Even coach Ken Hitchcock took one, make that two, stitches for the cause, after getting struck
with an errant puck behind the bench.

It was Nash, though, who served as catalyst in a decisive victory over a quality Eastern
Conference opponent. He scored on a power play, sparkled on the penalty kill and used his 6-foot-4,
215-pound frame to its maximum capacity.

His only blemish was being stymied on a second-period penalty shot at 12:08 with Columbus
leading 1-0. Still, he got the crucial next goal a minute later to supply some cushion.

"People say a missed penalty shot can be a momentum changer, but we just went back to work,"
said Nash, who won the Richard award in the 2003-04 season. "This is a tough place to win on the
road, but we came in here and earned it."

The Blue Jackets (3-2-1) made their goaltender's night a relatively easy one. The Sabres, who
scored 18 goals in the past three games, registered just 21 shots.

"We just didn't give them any space," said Leclaire, who already is two shutouts shy of tying a
season franchise record established by Marc Denis in 2003-04. "We kept them to the outside and I
was able to see everything they shot."

Hitchcock didn't say whether the one that plunked him between the eyes was screened or not. He
was too happy to care.

He was pleased with a solid 60-minute effort, unlike Wednesday when the Blue Jackets relaxed
long enough to allow the Dallas Stars to rally for a 3-2 shootout win.

"We kept our foot on the gas and didn't let this one get away," Peca said.

The second period was the Jackets' best of the young season. They scored two goals and limited
Buffalo to seven shots.

Offensively, everything revolved around Nash and Peca. Nash intercepted a pass behind the
Buffalo net and carried the puck into the slot, where his shot was stopped by Ryan Miller. Peca
hopped on the rebound, however, and swept a backhander into the net for his first Blue Jackets goal
at 6:31.

It also was his first goal against his former team.

Columbus had two chances to extend its lead within seconds of each other as Nikolai Zherdev hit
the post at 11:45 and Nash was awarded the penalty shot after being hooked on a partial
breakaway.

Miller won the one-on-one showdown, denying Nash with a blocker stop, but Nash scored at 13:10
after Peca forced another turnover behind the net on a power play. Nash darted out of the corner
and, muscling his way between two defenders, ripped a shot past Miller.

"He just creates so many scoring chances for himself. I haven't had many guys who can do it like
him," Hitchcock said.